Description
The history of gemstone mining is as old as mankind. Jade was already mined as far back as 9000 BC in ancient China, and the Egyptian emerald mines go back to 1800 BC. Rubies and sapphires from Sri Lanka and Myanmar have been found in ancient jewellery that goes back over 2000 years, similarly old as the Golconda diamond mines in India.
Dr Lore Kiefert (Gemological Consultancy, Heidelberg, Germany) has worked at SSEF, AGTA and Gubelin labs as chief gemmologist and co-authored numerous gemmological publications in gemmological and scientific journals.
